Kingfisher Biotech

03/26/2026

🧬 How does PPRV shut down the immune system? New research points to IL-10 as a key player.

Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting sheep and goats worldwide. For years, scientists have tried to understand how this virus is able to weaken the immune system so effectively.

A new 2026 study published in Virulence provides important clues by looking at how PPRV interacts with dendritic cells—the immune system’s “first responders” responsible for activating T cells.

Here’s what researchers discovered:

🔬 Disrupted immune communication
PPRV-infected dendritic cells struggled to form stable interactions with T cells, a critical step needed to launch a strong immune response.

🔬 IL-10 driven immunosuppression
Infected cells produced high levels of IL-10, a cytokine known to suppress immune activity. When researchers blocked IL-10, T-cell activation improved—confirming its role in how PPRV suppresses immunity.

These findings help explain how PPRV weakens host defenses and could help guide future vaccine and therapeutic development.

We’re honored that Kingfisher Biotech recombinant ovine GM-CSF and IL-4 were used to generate the dendritic cell models that supported this research. High-quality cytokines are essential for building reliable immune models, and it’s exciting to see them contribute to advances in veterinary immunology.

Ovine GM-CSF Recombinant Protein (RP1190V)
https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/product/RP1190V

Ovine IL-4 Recombinant Protein (RP1130V)
https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/product/RP1130V

At Kingfisher Biotech, our mission is simple: support the scientists making discoveries that improve animal and human health.

📚 Reference: Nogales-Altozano et al., Virulence (2026)
🔬 Learn more about our animal research reagents: KingfisherBiotech.com

03/25/2026

Lab Tip of the Week: Don’t lose a single drop! 💧

You know the feeling… you open a new protein vial and see reagent stuck in the cap or along the sides. That’s precious material you worked (and paid) for.

Here’s a simple habit that can make a big difference:

Spin your vials down before opening.

A quick microcentrifuge spin pulls liquid from the cap and tube walls so you recover every drop of your valuable reagent. Less waste, better consistency, and more reliable experimental results.

Sometimes the smallest lab habits make the biggest impact. 🔬

Learn more at:
KingfisherBiotech.com

03/24/2026

🔬 The love of science is where every great discovery begins.

At Kingfisher Biotech, curiosity drives what we do every day. It’s the questions we ask, the problems we try to solve, and the excitement of learning something new that keeps innovation moving forward.

Recently, our CEO Joanna shared a story from a visit to a Natural History Museum. While exploring a phylogeny exhibit, she found herself completely absorbed in tracing the evolutionary journey of different species. It was a simple moment—but also a powerful reminder of why so many of us fell in love with science in the first place. That feeling of wonder when something suddenly clicks.

That’s the same passion we see in the researchers we work with every day. We’re proud not just to provide high-quality reagents, but to support the people behind the discoveries and be part of their journey.

💡 What first sparked your interest in science? Was it a class, a mentor, a discovery, or a moment of curiosity? We’d love to hear your story in the comments.

KingfisherBiotech.com

03/19/2026

🧬 A Paradigm Shift in Immunology: STING is also a Metabolic Sensor

New research published in the Journal of Immunology is changing how we think about the immune protein STING (MPYS). While STING is best known for its role in antiviral immune responses, scientists have now discovered it also directly senses cellular metabolism by binding fatty acyl-CoA.

The study shows this function helps regulate fat metabolism and immune tolerance, revealing an important connection between metabolism and the immune system. Discoveries like this help open the door to new approaches for treating metabolic and inflammatory diseases.

Kingfisher Biotech is proud that our recombinant Mouse GM-CSF and Mouse M-CSF proteins were used to help generate the cellular models that made this research possible. Supporting scientists who push the boundaries of discovery is exactly why we do what we do.

Learn more about the Kingfisher products used to support this research:
https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/product/RP0407M
https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/product/RP0462M

🔬 Science moves forward when we better understand the connections inside biology and we’re honored to play a small part in that progress.

03/18/2026

🔬 Why is measuring one cytokine so critical for cattle health?

Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) isn't just any cytokine, it's a master conductor of the bovine immune response. Accurately measuring it provides a direct window into an animal's cell-mediated immunity, inflammation levels, and ability to fight infection.

This is a game-changer for researchers developing new vaccines, studying infectious diseases like bovine TB, or exploring autoimmune conditions.

Our versatile Bovine IFN-γ ELISA kit empowers you to get precise, quantitative data from a wide range of samples from cell culture supernatants, serum and plasma to milk and BALF. This flexibility supports a wide range of immunology and translational research applications, helping you drive your research forward.

Ready to unlock deeper insights into bovine health?

https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/product/DIY0665B

03/17/2026

🧬 PROTEIN SCIENCE 101: Understanding Carrier Proteins
If you work with recombinant proteins, this post is for you.

What is a carrier protein?
A carrier protein is an inert protein (typically BSA or HSA) added to lyophilized recombinant proteins during reconstitution. Its job? To act as a stabilizing agent that protects your target proteins from the harsh realities of storage and handling.

Why it matters:
Without carrier proteins, low-concentration recombinant proteins are vulnerable to:
-Denaturation (losing their functional structure)
- Adsorption to vial walls (losing precious sample)
- Degradation during freezing and dilution

The science behind it:
Carrier proteins work by:
1. Creating a protective microenvironment around target proteins
2. Competing for binding sites on container surfaces
3. Stabilizing protein structure through molecular crowding effects

Practical applications:
- Most common: 0.1%–1% BSA in PBS
- Alternatives: 5% HSA or 10% FBS
- Special cases: ESA for bovine-source proteins

When to skip carrier proteins:
In sensitive cell culture applications where BSA might interfere with your assay, opt for carrier-free formulations.

This seemingly small detail can be the difference between successful experiments and frustrating protein loss.

https://www.kingfisherbiotech.com/faq

03/12/2026

🦇 How do bats carry dangerous viruses without getting sick?

A groundbreaking study in Nature Communications, “Deciphering bat influenza H18N11 infection dynamics in male Jamaican fruit bats on a single-cell level,” offers a fascinating glimpse bats unique immunology and what it could mean for human health.

Researchers studying Jamaican fruit bats and the bat-derived influenza H18N11 made a pivotal discovery: the virus takes a completely different path than conventional flu. Here’s what they found:

✅ Novel Infection Pathway: Instead of infecting respiratory or gut epithelial cells, H18N11 directly targets immune cells (leukocytes) by using MHC-II molecules as a gateway.

✅ Tolerant Immune Response: This unique mechanism triggers a moderate and controlled immune response in bats, allowing them to tolerate the virus without developing severe illness.

✅ Zoonotic Implications: The study confirmed that this bat virus can also infect human immune cells, specifically macrophages. This underscores the critical importance of understanding these natural viral reservoirs to better prepare for and prevent potential zoonotic events.

This research not only deciphers a key aspect of bat immunology but also provides a vital resource for the broader scientific community. It opens up new avenues for studying virus-host interactions and could inform future antiviral strategies.

"Our single-cell RNA sequencing data suggested that dendritic cells were a target of H18N11 influenza A virus replication in Jamaican fruit bats. We confirmed this by generating bone marrow-derived dendritic cells using Kingfisher Biotech's bat GM-CSF and showed that the virus replicated well in these cells." - Dr. Tony Schountz, Colorado State University

What are your thoughts on the implications of this research for public health and the future of virology?



🔬 Learn more about our dendritic cell generation reagents for multiple species at www.KingfisherBiotech.com

04/09/2024

Did you know that Bats are natural reservoir hosts of thousands of viruses? You can now measure Jamaican fruit-eating Bat GM-CSF with our new Bat GM-CSF ELISA.

The Jamaican fruit-eating Bat GM-CSF Do-It-Yourself ELISA contains capture antibody, standard, and detection antibody for development of a Bat GM-CSF ELISA. The antibodies have been determined to function in an ELISA with the standard provided. Optimal buffers, concentrations, incubation times, incu...

03/19/2024

Check out our newest proteins at www.kingfisherbiotech.com.
Bovine/Ovine/Caprine CXCL3
Zebrafish PDGF-BB
Cynomolgus Monkey CXCL11
Canine IL-12p70
Human BAFF Receptor
Ferret/Mink PDGF-BB

Reagents for Veterinary - Animal Model Research

02/29/2024

New proteins this week...
Canine IL-12p70 and Ferret/Mink PDGF-BB.